1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tool boxes, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved tool box adapted for mounting within a recessed wheel area of a spare tire stored under the hood of a vehicle. Modern compact cars frequently position the spare tire in a horizontal position beneath the hood of a vehicle. These compact cars have a relatively small interior and are frequently provided with a hatchback and thus have no trunk space. Storage of tool boxes and other valuable articles in an out of sight location within the interior of the vehicle is practically impossible, due to the lack of a trunk space. Most of these vehicles have an engine compartment covered by a hood secured by a latch mechanism with an internal release. The area under the hood is not customarily utilized for the storage of articles and thus commonly escapes the attention of car thieves. The present invention seeks to utilize these factors by providing a tool box dimensioned for storage within the recessed wheel area of the underhood vehicle spare tire. The tool box may be utilized for the storage of expensive tools and may be provided with a locking cover and utilized for storage of other valuable articles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of tool boxes are known in the prior art. A typical example of an underhood tool box is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,904, which issued to C. Lauderdale on Jan. 30, 1979. This patent discloses a tool compartment adapted to be affixed under the hood of vehicles to the internal surface of the fender wheel cover and includes an elongated body having a hinged cover. The cover is provided with an electric light which is activated upon opening of the cover and an electrical receptacle is provided for use with external appliances. U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,153, which issued to B. Cole on Dec. 18, 1979, discloses a tool box for mounting under the hood of an automobile having a truck type front. A window washing bottle normally connected to the side wall of the automobile is disconnected and a side of the tool box carrying apparatus is connected in the location where the window washing bottle was formerly connected. U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,663, which issued to M. Williams on May 24, 1983, discloses a tool box mounted in the fender area over the wheel of a trailer. U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,483, which issued to A. Koch on Nov. 22, 1983, discloses an arrangement for storing tools in the trunk of a vehicle which utilizes a wall element at an inner surface of the trunk cover pivotable between open and closed positions to provide a storage receptacle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,880, which issued to W. Bensch on Apr. 28, 1987, discloses an underhood tool box for vehicles which is mounted adjacent the interior side of a front quarter panel over the curved surface of the fender well.
While the above mentioned devices are suited for their intended usage, none of these devices are adapted for mounting within the recessed wheel area of a horizontally positioned spare tire stored beneath the hood of a vehicle. Additionally, none of these prior art tool boxes include a bolt circle pattern dimensioned for securement to the wheel of a horizontally stored vehicle spare tire. Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with respect to these various types of tool boxes, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing nee for and interest in improvements to such tool boxes, and in this respect, the present invention addresses this need and interest.